Tuesday, May 3, 2011

In the wake of Osama bin Laden's death at a large complex not far from Pakistan's capital city, congressional leaders are putting new scrutiny on the United States' relationship with Pakistan.

The U.S. has a delicate alliance with Pakistan. The nuclear-armed nation is a critical partner in the United States' counter-terrorism efforts and receives billions in aid from the U.S. In his 2012 budget, President Obama requested nearly $3 billion in foreign assistance for Pakistan, including $1.58 billion in funds for security-related programs.

Brennan said the administration is "closely" talking to the Pakistanis right now about the "support" bin Laden received, but Congress has its own questions.

"It's very hard for me to understand how Pakistani, particularly the ISI [Pakistan's main intelligence agency], would not have known that something was going on in that compound," Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman Senate Intelligence Committee, said Monday. "I have had a growing concern that the Pakistani government, the Pakistani military and the Pakistani intelligence community is really walking both sides of the street, and the question comes what to do about it."